Dec 04, 2012

Royal baby speculation? Blame the internet

As any parent or expectant parent knows, picking the moment to announce the news of a pregnancy is an emotional and very personal decision. Fortunately it is one most people get to make on their own terms.

But not Kate Middleton whose own baby news has become public property overnight, despite it being at an early stage.

According to The Telegraph:

"The Duke and Duchess were forced to go public with the news much earlier than intended after the 30-year-old Duchess was admitted to hospital..."

They were "forced to go public". The implication being the story was about to get out, whether they liked it or not.

So who has been fuelling the speculation? Who was to blame for the inevitable pressure on the couple to "go public" earlier than they wanted?

The Telegraph tells us:

"Royal aides said the decision to go public "was very much driven by the Duke and Duchess", who were aware that it would be impossible to keep the news a secret in the age of Twitter."

Twitter. That's right.

In a separate article, The Telegraph tells us:

"Their decision comes amid growing concern that the internet appears beyond the reach of regulation. Lord Justice Leveson concluded it was an "ethical vacuum" which the press should seek to rise above.

"The Duchess's pregnancy has been the subject of fevered speculation on the internet ever since the couple married. The British press, by contrast, did not repeat the rumours out of respect for the couple's privacy."

So back in July 2011 when The Telegraph reported "Royal wedding cake sparks baby rumours" that wasn't fuelling "fevered speculation". And in April this year when The Telegraph told us the couple looked "broody" and "every inch the doting parents" as "they cooed over a couple's baby", they weren't suggesting William and Kate might be trying for a family of their own.

Of course The Telegraph admits it isn't alone. It claims the whole "British press" was avoiding such rumours.

So let's not dwell on the 11 November 2011 story from The Daily Star which told us:

"Prince William and his wife Kate are moving into a new royal family-sized home, fuelling rumours she is pregnant..."

That must just have been the bloody internet again. Like the previous week, when The Daily Star told us:

"...baby rumours were sparked when Kate passed up the chance to eat peanut paste when the couple visited an aid centre in Denmark."

Can any of us really say how we'd react when given the chance to eat peanut paste at a Danish aid centre?

But not all speculation was based on theories revolving around peanut paste. The very same week, the Daily Mail, brought us this gem:

"Maybe she was just feeling a bit peckish – but the Duchess of Cambridge has fuelled rumours that she may be pregnant by repeatedly touching her stomach during a Royal visit."

Back in September, The Daily Mail spotted Kate drinking water and was inspired to comment:

"...it seems the Royal couple decided to have a dry night and forgo the champagne. But their clinking of glasses topped with water, may fuel speculation that if Kate is not already pregnant, she and William might be trying for a baby..."

And just last week the Daily Mail again told us:

"The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are no stranger to accepting gifts from ...well-wishers... but Prince William accepted a gift that is likely to spark rumours that the couple could be hearing the pitter patter of tiny royal feet...in the near future - a babygro."

The Mirror said this very same incident sparked "royal baby fever". Which must have been Twitter's fault again. However, by that point - it has since transpired - the speculation was right, albeit very early days. But that doesn't mean the "fevered speculation" has to end. Just look at the front page headline The Telegraph has run with today (...though Twitter probably made them do it, of course).

So there you have it. The British press did nothing to fuel "fevered speculation". It was all the internet's fault.